Garment hanger



Aug. 26,1947. ,R L 2,426,556

' GARME HANGER Filed May 7, 1945 INVENTOR.

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Patented Aug. 26, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE r GARMENT HANGER William R. Kohl, Glenview, Ill.

Application May 7, 1945, Serial No. 592,482

3 Claims.

This invention relates to garment hangers of the type having a garment supporting yoke fabricated of a relatively light gauge of wire and a transverse trouser supporting strut assembled between the ends of the yoke and effectively retained in place on said ends in a manner to brace and rigidify the yoke.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a hanger of the type described adapted to be supplied to the trade in two-piece condition, and to be quickly assembled for use with a minimum of effort.

A further object is to provide such a hanger embodying coacting yoke and strut members, wherein said members are easily and quickly assembled for use and are thereafter held frictionally against undesired or inadvertent displacement relative to one another, yet in Which the members may be equally easily and quickly dismantled or partially dismantled when desired, without destroying or damaging the same.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation illustrating the hanger of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the hanger, viewed from the left of Fig l; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective View more clearly illustrating the relationship of the parts of the hanger at the point of interconnection thereof.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral l in general designatesthe improved garment hanger of this invention, one element of which consists of a relatively light gauge, flexible wire yoke member II. This member is bent upon itself at its mid point, twisted to provide a double strand shank l2, and conformed at its medial point above said shank to provide a suspending hook l3. Beneath shank I2 the strands of wire constituting the yoke are spread outwardly and bent downwardly to provide angular garment locating and holding abutments l4. The strands diverge downwardly and outwardly beneath said abutments to provide the usual garment shoulder supporting arms l5.

The abutments I4 furnish a means for properly locating and maintaining the neck and shoulder portions of a garment on the hanger, since they engage the inner sides of the neck or collar of the garment and prevent undesired shifting thereof out of center with regard to arms I5. This constitutes 'a substantial advantage.

, Practically every one has experienced the annoyance of receiving a garment from a dry cleaning or like establishment with the same entirely 2 askew on the hanger, and having a crumpled, wrinkled or creased appearance as a'result thereof. Such an occurrence is impossible in the construction described above.

At the lower ends thereof the arms I5 are bent downwardly and inwardly on a relatively gradual arc at "5 to provide inwardly extending portions or legs I! which are located in the plane of the arms. These legs l1, intermediate the length thereof, are offset and conformed laterally in planes at a degree angle to the plane of arms l5 to provide generally circular strut receiving and clamping bights l8. These bights are of less than 360 degree angular extent, since a fully closed loop or eye is unnecessary for my purpose, and represents a waste of metal.

The ends of bights I8 are then bent reversely, parallel to the inwardly directed legs IT, to a point beneath and somewhat short of the curved terminals l6 of arms l5, providing a relatively short strut engaging and retaining length I9v spaced from the parallel inturned leg I1. This portion I9 is in turn bent at a right angle radiallyof bight I8 to provide an end or stop shoulder 20, and as a final operation the end of the strand is deflected reversely in the general direction of lengths I1, I 9, thereby defining a terminal lug 2| for a purpose to be described.

The foregoing manipulations of the wire hanger yoke provide a strut receiving opening or bight l8 for each end of the hollow tubular trouser supporting strut 22, which is preferably fabricated of paper or carboard stock wound convolutely or otherwise into the tubular outline shown. This strut should be of adequate wall thickness to appropriately brace the yoke I l and to support trousers or other garments hung thereover without collapsing.-

The diameter of the strut 22 with reference to that of the bights I8 is such that the ends of the strut are insertable into the bights in the direction of the axis thereof, said bights, however, exerting a slight frictional action on the strut sufficient to maintain the ends of the latter in the bights against undesired accidental displacement. The radial thickness of the wall of the tubular strut is such that the latter fits snugly against the end stop 20 and between inturned lug 2| and the axially extending length l9. Preferably there will be more or less initial indenting or radial compression of the stock of the strut'by this lug 20 whereby the grip on the strut is enhanced and relative rotation such as would damage the strut is resisted.

' The lateral spacing of the parallel lengths l1,

I9 adjoining bight I8 should be less than the diameter of strut 22 to prevent accidental radial withdrawal of the strut ends from the bights, and the bights l8 and adjacent portions are relatively rigid compared to the struts so that when the latter is frictionally engaged in the bights it is not readily displaced from the yoke, except by intentional endwise spreading of the yoke H or axial shifting of the strut relative to a bight or bights I8, or by radial compression of the strut and withdrawal. The spacing of the parallel, axially extending lengths H and reversely directed retaining lengths l9 and the shape of the bights I8, which is between 180 and 360 arcuate extent, are such that, when desired, the strut 22 may be inserted radially into one or both of the bights I8, the material of the strut being suhiciently compressible and the material of the bight being sufficiently flexible and resilient to permit this manipulation,

In use, the strut 22 has a garment, such as a pair of trousers, draped thereover and is then inserted at one end into a. bight 18 by axial sliding movement. The end is thrust all the way against stop shoulder 20. Alternatively, the garment may be placed on the strut after the hanger is fully assembled. Next the yoke arms 55 are spread and shifted sufficiently to bring the opposite bight into axial alignment with the strut and said end is then similarly inserted on said bight into full engagement with stop shoulder 20. I specify the full engagement of the strut with these shoulders primarily because if it is not done the terminal lugs 2| will be'exposed at the ends of the strut,

with resultant likelihood of snagging garments either on or adjacent the hanger in question. Other than for this consideration, the bights i8 will normally exert sufficient friction on the strut to prevent displacement thereof even if the strut is only partially inserted in the bights lengthwise of portions l1, I0. Of course, the desired end engagement referred to positively registers the strut centrally of the yoke.

The space afforded by the gradually bent arcuate extremities I6 of arms may be availed of for the reception of neckties or the shoulder straps of ladies garments which it may be desired to transport suspended at either end-of the hanger. Being deflected and directed internally of the strut 22 in operative assembled position of the hanger, the lugs 2| are, as stated, incapable of snagging any garments on the hanger or other garments which may brush across the ends of the latter during transportation. The materials from which the hanger is fabricated are of such nature and the construction and relationship of the parts are such as to enable repeated assembly and disassembly of the components of the hangers during a relatively long life. As pointed out, the yokes and struts are furnished separately, to be assembled by the dry cleaning or other establishment as required.

I claim:

1. A garment hanger of the type described'ineluding a wire yoke having a suspending member and a pair of opposite downwardly diverging, coplanar arms, said arms terminating at the lower ends thereof in inwardly disposed coplanar legs of substantial length, said legs being shaped in planes normal to the plane of said arms to provide radially opening, generally circular strut receiving bights of between 180 and 360 arcuate ex tent, portions of substantial length connected to said bights being disposed reversely of said legs and terminating in end abutments disposed transversely of said last named plane, which abutments are spaced axially outwardly of said bights, and an elongated strut frictionally receivable in said bights in engagement with said abutments and prevented by said engagement from, undesired displacement relative to the yoke, said legs and portions being adapted to have frictional contact with said strut along a substantial portion of their length upon insertion of the strut in said bights.

2. A garment hanger of the type described including a wire yoke having a suspending member and a pair of opposite downwardly diverging, co-

7 planar arms, said arms terminating at the lower ends thereof in inwardly disposed coplanar legs of substantial length, said legs being shaped in planes normal to the plane of said arms to provide generally circular strut receiving bights of between and 360 arcuate extent, portions of substantial length connected to said bights being directed reversely of and parallel to the legs and terminating in end abutments disposed transversely of said last named plane which are spaced axially outwardly of'said bights, and an elongated hollow tubular strut frictionally receivable in said bights in engagement with said abutments and prevented by said engagement from undesired displacement relative to the yoke, said legs and.

reversely directed portions being adapted to have frictional engagement with said strut along a substantial portion of their length upon insertion of the strut in said bights, said abutments termi nating in lugs disposed internally of said strut.

3. A, garment hanger of the type described, comprising a wire garment supporting yoke having downwardly divergent coplanar arms inturned on relativel gradual arcs. to provide terminal strut receiving portions, and a strut frictionally engaged with said yoke at said portions, the latter being conformed laterally to, provide radially opening, generally circular open loops of between 180 and 360 arcuate extent in planes at a substantial angle to the plane of said arms, connecting elements extending lengthwise of the strut and outwardly of said. loops, said connecting elements being adapted to have frictional engagement with said strut along a substantial portion of the length thereof upon insertion of the latter into said loops, and terminal shoulders turned radially inwardly of said strut for end engagement with thelatter when the strut is engaged in said loop-s, said open loops affording sufiicient space between the ends thereof for radial insertion of said strut therein.

WILLIAM R. KOHL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of'this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Klein May 10, 1938 

